Improvement in indexes



H. BEACH.

Index.

No. 208,143.. Patented sept. 17,1878.

Figi.

N FVETEES. PMDTWLITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTDN. n C,

IUNTTED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

IIORACE BEACH, OF IRAIRIE DU CHIEN, YVISCONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN INDEXES.

Specilication forming part of Letters Patent No. 208.143, datedSeptember 17, 1878; application filed December 8, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HORACE BEACH, of the city of Prairie du Chien, inthe county of Crawford and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in the Construction of Initial-Lettered Indexes ofall Classes, and for similar purposes to which said improvement isapplicable, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to improvements in the indexes of books or othervolumes or documents 5 and consists, more particularly, in suchconstruction and combination of the several parts as shall, While notobscuring, yet fully protect the initial letters or other indexial markor token from being soiled or defaced by use, and in such improvementsin the corners of the leaves at the top or about the index letter ormark of the book, volume, or document as shall insure protection as Wellas strength, all as will now be more fully set out and explained.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l shows my invention as applied toa recordbook. Fig. 2 is a detail in section to show the method ofsecuring the transparent cover and protection over the letter orindexial mark.

Heretofore such indexes have been made by printing the initials upon themargins of the several leaves, and leaving the letters without anycovering to protect the letters from soiling or the turning up of thecorners of the leaves. This method of construction is defective andobjectionable, in consequence of the letters soon becoming dirtied orsoiled, and the corners of the leaves where the initial letters areprinted turned up and often Worn off, or the letters becoming entirelydefaced by constant handling.

The object of my invention is to protect the initial letters of indexes,so as to prevent them from soiling, also to stiffen the corners and makethem elastic, so as to prevent them from turning over or rolling up, andto strengthen the leaves, so as to prevent the tearing at this point.

In the drawings, a., Fig. l, denotes any ordinary record or other bookor document to which an index or indexial mark is or can be usefullyapplied.

The invention consists in pasting thin sheets of mica, b, or any othersuitable transparent substance, over each initial letter of such indexeswith guln-tragacanth, or any other adhesive subst-ance which will causethe plates to adhere properly to the paper, and, when dry, to paste overthese plates of mica or other substance paper, leather, silk, muslin, orother suitable material, as now shown at c, with a perforation or holein it of sufficient size to show the initial letter through the mica orother transparency; then pasting this paper,-

leather, silk, muslin, or other material used over the edge of the leaf,and attach it to the opposite side thereof, so as to protect the edge ofthe paper, and also prevent the mica or other transparent substance usedfrom peeling oft.

What I claim is- 1. The combination of a plate of thin mica or othertransparent substance with the initial or indexial mark on the edge ofthe book or record leaf in such a manner as to show said initial orindexial mark, but at the same time to cover and protect the same,substantially as' and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a record or like book, or volume, or document, the mica or liketransparent plates b, combined with the edges of the leaves, and withthe letters or indexialmark, and with a suitable protecting-cover, c,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a record or like book or document, and

in combination With the leaves, corners, or edges and the indexial mark,the transparent cover b and protection c, folded over the leafedges,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

. HORACE BEACH.

Witnesses: HORACE BEACH, Jr.,

HENRY WENIGER.

